After the Rain
by Dauragon C. Mikado
Summary: Volt while working out after the final battle with Dauragon has a familiar face ask him for a job at the FATE. This story may not actually be PG-13, I'm just being conservative.
1. Jobs

Volt Krueger continued to sweat as he pounded relentlessly on the punching bag. He had been at the gym for hours. After the fiasco with Dauragon and the Mikado Corporation he realized he needed to be in even better physical and mental shape. He had also been practicing drills to improve his reflexes.  
Looking back on the fight with Dauragon Volt saw how useless he had been in the fight. Volt remembered distinctly how easily Dauragon blocked the Trinity Rush. Volt, even with his most powerful throw, was unable to best Dauragon. Dauragon sidestepped him and then hit him hard in the head with his elbow. Then while Volt staggered from the force of the blow Dauragon brought down his foot on his back. He then was too dizzy to fight, though he did watch Kou land a powerful series of kicks while Sion finished Dauragon with a strong blow using his knuckles.  
Volt began hitting the punching bag with even more vigor. Every muscle in his body ached and burned. The lactic acid swept through his muscles that lacked oxygen. Sweat fell to the floor like waterfall. He was breathing so hard each breath was a struggle, it felt as if it may be his last. He began to mix in kicks. The blows left dents in the sand filled bag. Then totally exhausted he let himself slump against the wall his back using the wall to hold himself up. He stared at the ground reliving the fight with Dauragon again and again. His eyes eventually looked up to see a familiar female face.  
"What?" he gasped, "Echidna . . . what . . . how long . . have you been . . . standing there?"  
"Oh just a second," she replied carelessly, "I didn't want to disturb your training. You seem like a man possessed. The way you were training the rhythm of your fists was incredible."  
"What are you here for?" he asked finally catching his breath.  
"Well, um . . . I kinda need a . . . job," she said timidly.  
"And you want to work at the Fate?" he said incredulously.  
"Volt, I could do it. I'm a strong fighter, you know it."  
"I don't care, Sion, Kou, they would never let you work there!"  
"Volt please I have no where else to go."  
"Give me one good reason. You tried to kill us!"  
"Please just talk to them. I've turned over a new leaf. I really need a job."  
Volt then proceeded to look at her. He saw her curly red hair cascading off her the sides of her face. He did notice her gaudy earrings were gone. He continued to look at her and saw her smooth skin. He looked at her slender, but muscular, arms. He looked at her shapely hips and long legs. However he also noticed her clothing was a bit old and worn looking, still that did not take away from her beauty. After a few minutes he made his decision. "I'm not making any promises, but . . . I'll talk to the guys and the owner."  
"Oh thank you so much Volt," Echidna and threw her arms around the sweating Volt but didn't care apparently. He's so well built, she thought.   
Volt began to blush and said, "Don't thank me yet Aena."   
He loved the way she felt in his arms.  
  
Well that's for now I'll try to add more to it. And I'm aware there was really no action so it may become just romance, but come to think of it there was really no romance to speak of yet so just wait for more to come. Oh and please R/R! And don't rip it to shreds please I have problems with cruel criticism, I can hardly accept constructive criticism.  



	2. Coffee

"Absolutely not."  
"C'mon Sion she seemed genuinely sorry," Volt said, "She would be a huge asset here."  
"So what about her ass Volt?" Kou chipped in.  
"Shut up," Volt said.  
"Hey man, calm down."  
"Sion she's not the bad guy, er girl any more. People change. I changed. Kou's okay with it."  
"Hey wait a second," Kou but was lost in a outburst by Sion who seemed to have been contemplating.  
"NO! Volt, think for a second, she tried to kill us, you especially. And she scares Dominique," Sion said trying to reason.  
"She deserves a second chance, doesn't everyone?"   
"Listen let me talk to Dominique in private for a second," Sion said.  
"Fine."  
Sion left the storeroom at the Fate that had been the scene of the heated argument.   
"Sion's really against this Volt, I have a feeling he's not gonna go along with it," Kou said.  
"Yeah, you're right he's stubborn, but maybe Dominique might be able to soften him up, she's changed him."  
"Yeah . . . maybe," Kou said not really believing himself.  
Sion walked into the storeroom again with an air of defeat about him.   
"All right," he sighed, "Dom and the owner have agreed to hire her for a week and if she does well then they'll keep her on as a permanent position, but if she slips up . . ."  
"Sion, thank you," Volt calmly, "This means a lot to me, and to Aena, too."  
"Aena?" Kou and Sion inquired.  
"That's her name," Volt told them.  
Dominique walked in, "Sion its your shift. If you don't get out there the owner is gonna get mad. He says the arguments over so get out there and do what he pays you to do."  
"Yeah, yeah I'm goin. Out in the cold," he said glumly.  
"Well I'm done for today. I've gotta go tell Aena. I'll see you tomorrow," Volt said.  
"Yeah later," Kou said.  
Sion walked off and gave Volt a small wave, perhaps a little resentful for the Echidna situation.   
Volt walked out to his car hopped into it and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. It had Echidna's hotel address and number. He drove there, it took a little over five minutes. He got there walked in and talked to the man at the desk and he told Volt that she was waiting for him.  
"Let's see Room 237," he muttered riding in the elevator.  
He felt hot, which was strange, for he had just been out in the cold. Butterflies began to form in his stomach. He then began to chuckle.  
"Volt Krueger, accomplished fighter, is alone in an elevator. Finally feeling like an adolescent boy. Idiot. She'd never go for me."   
He then proceeded to hit the side of the elevator and it shook.   
"Probably shouldn't do that," he said and laughed at himself some more.  
A small ding pierced the silence and the doors open. Volt strode through the doorway and watched the people board the elevator. He noticed several couples enter the elevator and felt a small pang somewhere within his body. He found Echidna's room and knocked at the door. No answer. His hand was sweating lightly now and he shook slightly, not visibly however.  
"Echidna?" Volt questioned in the general direction of the door while knocking, "Echidna?"  
He began to turn around when the door cracked open, slightly ajar, Echidna stuck her head out. Her hair was wet and she had obviously just been in the shower.  
"Whoops, bad timing," he said, beginning to blush.  
"Hold on a second Volt just let me grab some clothes quick," Aena said flushing as well.  
She ran away from the door and after a few minutes came and unlocked it. She was wearing a plain, but sexy orange turtleneck and a pair of plain flared jeans. It was very plain, but to Volt the way it fit her made him feel weak at the knees.  
They sat down on a small couch in front of a television with a small coffee table in front of it. He looked around the room. It was actually very nice. It was really a suite with a rather large kitchen and a large bedroom adjacent to the living room they were in now.  
"So what's the news?" Aena asked.  
"You got the job. Sion doesn't trust you, but Kou, Dominique, and I persuaded him to give you a chance."  
"Thank you so much Volt. I really cannot thank you enough."  
"It's nothing."  
"No really it is," she said earnestly and gave him a small hug.  
Volt tensed up a little but relaxed.  
"There's a condition. You have to be on good behavior. You have one week to prove yourself an asset to the bar according to Sion. As long as your good and do a nice job they'll keep you on."  
"No problem," she said, "Do you want to stick around and have a cup of coffee or something?"  
"Er, yeah, of course if it's no problem."  
"Of course not it's the least I could do. You got me a job."  
"Thanks, Aena."  
"Thank you, Volt."  
  
That ends the newest installment. I guess. I hope you like it. But if you do or don't let me know. R/R!!!!!!!!  



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